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Take your holiday decorating to the next level by incorporating flags in your holiday display. Flags are versatile and will add a touch of uniqueness to your holiday celebration. From outdoor displays to indoor embellishments, flags offer many decorative possibilities. Here are five creative ways to use flags in your Christmas decor.

 

1- Decorative Outdoor Decor

 

Line your walkway or driveway with decorative flags to make visitors feel welcome. Add a touch of Christmas by adding a garden flag to your yard or any outside planters for a festive look. Add fairy lights to help the flags stand out and make them visible at night. Have a household that believes in Santa or Father Christmas? Hang a flag to show him that your house is full of believers.

 

2- Flag Bunting

 

Trade in the garland that hangs over the mantel or down the staircase for a flag bunting instead. Gather solid-colored or decorative flags that match your decor and string them together. Use the bunting to showcase your mantel, hang it down your staircase, around your door, or anywhere you would hang the garland. Hang buntings in bedrooms to create a festive atmosphere. It will be a fun DIY project that will be an eye-catching decoration.

 

3- Centerpieces and Table Decorations

 

Add a special touch to your centerpieces and table decorations by adding flags. A festive flag will add a touch of color or interest to your centerpieces. For instance, if you are using greenery to decorate your table, add some small flags to give it a touch of color. Add flags to poinsettia and other holiday plants to get them an extra element of interest. Consider making place settings with the flags. After the holiday meal is over, guests can take their flag home as an extra little gift.

 

4- Tree Ornaments

 

Use small flags as tree ornaments. Attach the flags to branches using twine or ribbons. Scatter them among your usual ornaments for a festive display. If your tree is an American theme, a flag as a tree topper would be a fun addition

 

Another idea is to consider a Christmas around the world theme. Children, especially, will find this to be a fun activity. Learn about other countries’ Christmas traditions and place a flag on your tree to represent them.

 

5- Wreaths

 

Skip the traditional green wreath this year and create something that will stand out. A flag wreath would be a unique decoration that will have your home standing out among your neighbors. One way is to use a green wreath as a base and add flags of your choice. Another option is to purchase a styrofoam or wire base. Add some festive ribbons and your flags to make a one-of-a-kind wreath. Create additional wreaths to hang in your windows to complete the look.

 

Incorporating decorative flags into your Christmas decor is a fun way to add a unique festive flair to your home. From crafting buntings and wreaths to welcoming Santa with a big flag, your home will become a warm and cheerful place. Add decorative flags to your decor to begin new traditions and create lasting memories.

One of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make when funeral planning is deciding whether you prefer cremation or burial services. Although both options are perfectly fine, it helps to know that cremation offers several benefits that could influence your decision. Taking a look at the three biggest reasons to consider cremation services helps you determine if this is the right choice for you or your loved one.

 

1- Reduce Burial Costs For Your Family

Many people fear being a burden to their families after they pass away. Life insurance can help with cremation and burial costs, but it’s still sometimes important to choose the least expensive option. Cremation allows you to potentially opt out of add-on services that might be required for a burial such as embalming. Although you can choose to do an open casket viewing ceremony before the cremation, you may prefer to opt out of this choice. If this is the case, then you can choose cremation to avoid fees for dressing and cosmetic services. Since cremation doesn’t require a casket, you can also choose an affordable urn for holding your loved one’s ashes.

 

2- Simplify Long-Distance Funeral Planning

Transporting the deceased’s body across state lines can be difficult and expensive at best. When you begin trying to repatriate someone’s remains intentionally things become even more complicated. With cremation, the process of transferring remains becomes easier. You can also work with cremation planners who can ensure that you or your loved one has a plan already set in place before the end of life occurs. In cases where there is an unexpected death while you or someone else is traveling, then already having a plan in place will help to make the process of repatriating more stress-free at a time when you may have limited resources.

 

3- Honor Your Eco-Conscious Lifestyle

Traditional burials take up limited resources such as space in the ground that can eventually run out. You’ll also need to purchase a traditional casket for the burial that meets specific regulations. Embalming also uses chemicals that can eventually leech into the ground. Cremation, however, doesn’t require using the same amount of resources. Fire-based cremation is the most common type that people request, and it uses flames to transform the body into ashes. For those who prefer an even more eco-friendly option, water-based cremation is also available. Using water for the cremation process uses only a small fraction of the energy that fire-based methods do to make it the most environmentally friendly option you can find.

 

At the end of someone’s life, cremation offers an eco-friendly and affordable option for handling their remains. Cremation also offers you the ability to still honor your loved one’s life through an ash scattering or memorial ceremony. As you make this decision, keep in mind that there are people who can help. Advance planning professionals specialize in helping people make final life decisions, and finding the answers to all of your questions helps you feel confident about your choice.

 

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A power outage is a pain for a number of reasons, but one that doesn’t always come to mind is how it can affect your plumbing. While most of your plumbing isn’t directly affected by your electrical system, an outage can still spell disaster for your pipes. While you should never hesitate to call a licensed plumber if you have an emergency, here are five things that you can and should do to protect your plumbing when you lose power.

 

1. Protect Your Pipes from Freezing

 

One of the biggest dangers when you lose power during the winter is having your pipes freeze. Frozen pipes can burst and cause serious damage to your plumbing and the rest of your home, so protect them by wrapping your pipes with insulation and turning on your faucets. Running water is less likely to freeze, even if it’s only a trickle.

 

2. Turn Off Your Main Water Line in Extended Outages

 

If you’re expecting your power to be out for at least a few days, shut off the main water line for your home. You should still turn on your faucets to let the remaining water drain from your pipes, but this should keep them from freezing if it gets really cold.

 

3. Install a Water-Powered Pump to Your Sump Pump

 

Your sump pump prevents flooding by removing water from your basement and directing it outside. It normally needs electricity to work, which won’t do you any good if your power goes out. Fortunately, you can have a water-powered pump installed that will work without electricity. This is especially helpful if your basement is prone to flooding and your power outage is due to a severe storm.

 

4. Open Your Cabinet Doors

 

If you have cabinets underneath your kitchen and bathroom sinks, open them to expose the plumbing in them to the air in your home. Your heating system won’t work without electricity, but the air circulating throughout your home should still be reasonably warm. Exposing the plumbing under your sinks to this warmer air should keep them from freezing for at least a little while. When you do this, make sure that you move any cleaners or other potentially dangerous materials from your cabinets if you have pets or small children in your home.

 

5. Call a Plumber for Assistance

 

If you’re concerned about any damage that could be done to your pipes during a power outage, contact a local plumber to inspect your plumbing once the power is back on. Your top priority during the outage is to stay warm and make sure that you are safe, but don’t hesitate to call a plumbing professional to look everything over afterward.

 

Your plumbing might not be your biggest priority if your power goes out, but it should never be ignored, especially during the winter or extreme cold weather. Remember these tips to keep your plumbing safe, and don’t hesitate to call a plumbing professional if you need any assistance or any type of plumbing repairs.

 

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The winter isn’t always a season that we associate with lawn care. However, utilizing lawn services in your area during the wintertime could be instrumental in making sure that your lawn emerges in the spring looking as healthy as it possibly could. Many homeowners discount winter lawn care, which is why it’s good to know exactly what you stand to gain when you decide to reach out to a local lawn care professional. Let’s take a closer look at three smart reasons to use lawn services during the winter to see how it could benefit the health and look of your home’s lawn.

 

1. It Serves to Clear Debris That Could Affect the Health of Your Lawn

 

When you think of fall and winter, what do you think of? Most associate it with the falling leaves and other debris that inevitably makes its way onto your lawn. While this activity is what makes these months so memorable, it’s also what can have the most impact on the health of your lawn. Debris and fallen leaves can build up on your lawn, suffocating the grass, leading to extensive disease and damage, and even contributing to fungus and mold growth.

 

Reaching out for lawn services can ensure that this debris is actively cleared so that your lawn stays healthy through the winter months.

 

2. It Prevents Detrimental Infestations

 

Pests are constantly outdoors. Therefore, it stands to reason that they couldn’t damage your lawn during the winter. While this line of thinking is logical, it’s not entirely accurate. Certain insects like grubs can wreak havoc on your lawn during the wintertime. If left unchecked and unaddressed, you may find yourself staring at an extremely sparse front yard or backyard once spring rolls around. Working with a lawn care expert will ensure you have the support you need to prevent infestations throughout the winter.

 

3. It Can Help Grass Stay Healthy Even During Wintertime

 

Lawns need year-round care, even if you live in an area that experiences snowfall. One way to make sure that your lawn is healthy during the winter and after it is through aeration. Aeration serves to help air get through the ground and to the roots, ensuring that they’re able to grow nice and strong. Another strategy is fertilization, which gives your lawn the nutrients it needs to grow properly. Aeration and fertilization are two strategies you can employ yourself, but you may not have the tools or the know-how to get the job done. In this case, a lawn care expert can help you.

 

Lawn care is far more complex than people realize. During the winter, many may leave most of their plants and other living elements of their landscape like their lawn to their own devices. However, doing so can have a major impact that leaves your lawn looking ragged. Improve your lawn care knowledge with the three points above, and reach out to a lawn care expert to help you care for your lawn throughout the winter.

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As much as you want to deck out your home for the holidays, you may also want to make your seasonal decorating cost-efficient and convenient. Utilize these tips to incorporate smart technology in your home’s holiday decor.

 

Create a Schedule

 

You can cut down on your decorating costs by creating a schedule for your exterior holiday lights. Smart technology allows you to determine what time you want the lights to come on and when you want them to turn themselves off. This helps you avoid having to plug in and unplug the lights yourself or keeping them on all night, which can raise your electric bill substantially.

 

Synchronization

 

Smart technology also lets you synchronize your home’s holiday decorations. For example, you may want to synchronize your lights to certain holiday songs. Likewise, you may want your inflatables to flash or sway to match the beat of songs you play on an outside music system. You can make your home a showpiece in the neighborhood and attract more admirers to your light show.

Voice Automation

 

You can use voice automation technology to control your holiday decorations verbally. You can tell your smart home device to turn on the Christmas tree lights, for example. You can also tell the device to turn your outside lights on and off or to play a certain holiday song for you. This tip can save you time and offer you a convenient way to enjoy your holiday decor.

 

Playlists

 

Smart technology additionally allows you to create playlists that you can enjoy inside or outside of your home. You can compile the playlist on your favorite app or mobile device. You can then tell your smart home system to play the songs on that list or to skip certain songs if you prefer. You can enjoy your favorite holiday tunes anytime without having to listen to the radio or a random playlist on an app.

 

Customized Christmas Tree

 

You can use smart technology to customize your Christmas tree. If you want it to turn on blue lights, for example, you can use your smart home device for this purpose. Likewise, you can use programmable lights on your tree to coordinate with certain songs or light patterns. This tip can enhance the beauty of and enjoyment you get from your tree.

 

Holiday Doorbells

 

You can create holiday doorbell chimes for your home using this technology. This tip makes your home more festive during the holiday season. It can also help keep you and your family in a celebratory mood.

 

Thermostat Control

 

With all of the holiday lights you have inside and on your home, you could raise your home’s internal temperature. Smart technology like what you can get from a business lets you control the thermostat and maintain a comfortable interior temperature. You can turn it down as needed when you have the lights turned on.

 

Smart technology can take your home’s holiday decor to the next level. You can save money, create your own customized schedule and make your home a showpiece.

A good life is all about finding balance. After a long week of hustling at work and being diligent about your diet, there’s nothing like a treat to help you unwind. Are you looking for the ultimate treat for your “cheat” treat or just want to practice indulging yourself with moderation? Here’s a look at five food and drink items to indulge yourself with without an ounce of guilt occasionally! You deserve this!

1. Chocolate Lava Cake

Calling all chocolate lovers! While there are many desserts out there to splurge on when you’re calling a cheat day, not all of them offer the satisfaction of chocolate lava cake. Digging your fork in is an experience filled with anticipation. There’s nothing like the mixture of a moist, spongy cake with hot liquid chocolate. Also known as chocolate molten cake, this French dessert is made with chocolate cake with a liquid core of rich chocolate. You can even gild the lily by adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Let’s call this the dessert you deserve after a grueling week.

2. Brandy and a Cigar

There’s a reason why cigar clubs were once the go-to spots for shedding off the stress of long, tiresome weeks. If you’ve been grinding your gears, it’s time to slow down with the perfect pairing of an alcoholic drink and a cigar. Nothing tops a good brandy with a premium-quality cigar if you want to get the full effect of matching flavor profiles. You get bonus points if you can find a comfortable chair to melt into as you savor every alternating sip and puff.

3. Flavored Popcorn

Who doesn’t love a movie night at home after a long week? If you’re looking to really indulge, swap your usual snacks for flavored popcorn. We’re talking about caramel, chocolate drizzle, chocolate peanut butter, kettle corn, and other sticky and gooey favorites. Of course, this treat isn’t 100% unredeemable from a nutritional standpoint. Popcorn is a whole-grain food that’s high in fiber and antioxidants.

4. Frozen Margarita

While you may not be getting to Key West or Cancún for a vacation this year, a frozen margarita is a party in a cup you can enjoy everywhere. This go-to drink at resorts and restaurants is sweet and refreshing. Frozen margaritas are made with tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and simple syrup blended together with ice. While frozen margaritas are traditionally flavored with lime, they can be made with strawberry, watermelon, guava, and whatever other tangy and tropical flavor you can dream up!

5. Loaded Nachos

If your idea of a treat is more on the “savory and salty” side, it’s time to load up on a giant plate of loaded nachos. This indulgent treat has it all! Crispy, delicious tortilla chips create a bedrock layer for an untold number of toppings. Make sure your nachos have the classic ground beef or pulled pork, refried beans, cheese, and sour cream. You can also dress loaded nachos up with onions, pico de gallo, jalapenos, and guacamole.

Workers’ comp is designed to offer compensation any time a worker suffers an injury on the job. It offers coverage for all medical costs and a portion of your lost wages while you recover from a workplace injury. If your workers’ comp experience isn’t going smoothly, you may need a lawyer to help you take full advantage of the available benefits.

Sign #1: You Can’t Get Approval for Needed Medical Procedures

 

Outside of emergency treatment for your injuries, workers’ comp often requires you to seek approval for medical care before you can have a procedure. Unfortunately, in some cases, that can significantly delay needed care, which means a longer road to recovery and more expenses for you. If you cannot get medical procedures approved in a timely manner, or if workers’ comp denies a procedure you need, contact a workers’ comp lawyer to discuss your options.

Sign #2: You Aren’t Getting Paid

 

It may take a few weeks after your injury before workers’ comp payments start. However, after that, they should arrive regularly. If your checks aren’t arriving on time, or if you aren’t getting paid at all, you need a workers’ comp lawyer to help you fight for the payment you deserve.

Sign #3: Your Workers’ Comp Claim is Denied

 

You have the right to seek workers’ compensation coverage any time you suffer injuries on the job, regardless of what led to those injuries. However, that does not mean that workers’ comp will pay out automatically. If you end up having to fight for coverage for the injuries you suffered as a direct result of your workplace responsibilities, let a workers’ comp lawyer fight on your behalf.

Sign #4: You Feel Pressed to Return to Work Without Clearance From Your Doctor

 

Your doctor will work with you to create a specific care plan that lays out the support you need, the procedures necessary to recover from your injury, and when you can return to work. However, some employers may attempt to circumvent that process. You may feel pressured to work sooner than your doctor has advised, which can leave you struggling longer to recover. Furthermore, an early return to work can exacerbate your injuries or prevent you from making a full recovery. A lawyer can help you fight to protect your right to time to recover after an injury at work.

Sign #5: You Cannot Get Needed Modifications or Assistance

 

Even once your doctor clears you to return to work, you may not be able to go back to your former responsibilities. You may also need accommodations from your employer to allow you to get back on the job, from a decreased workload to specialty equipment. If you can’t get those accommodations approved, but your employer wants you back at work anyway, a lawyer can help you fight for assistance.

Contact a Workers’ Comp Lawyer Today

 

After many workplace injuries, filing for workers’ comp won’t go as smoothly as you had hoped. Contact a workers’ comp lawyer as soon as possible for assistance with your case.

A criminal conviction can carry some serious penalties involving fines and jail time. If you’re being charged with a criminal offense, you should do everything possible to support an optimal case outcome and avoid the following mistakes.

1. Never attempt to represent yourself

The minute you find out you’re facing criminal charges, you need to contact an attorney. Don’t skip this step, and don’t put it off. There’s too great a chance that you’ll do or say something wrong that can hurt your case when you’re in the custody of law enforcement, and a criminal defense lawyer will ensure you don’t fall into this trap. 

2. Don’t talk to the police without a lawyer

There are many reasons you should never talk to the police without a lawyer present to guide you and protect you during the process. For example, it doesn’t matter if you’re going to plead guilty in the end because if you talk to police too soon, you could lose the chance to get your sentence reduced. Also, even if you share information the police already know, that can be used against you in ways that wouldn’t happen if you stayed quiet. 

3. Don’t post about your case on social media

At all costs, avoid posting about your case to any social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and even your personal blog. Don’t post content or comments about your case anywhere. Don’t think you’re safe if your account is private. There’s a chance you might be required to provide your account login for court. If anything is discovered publicly or privately, it will be used against you. 

Many people have found out the hard way that posting to social media with a pending case is a bad idea. You would be surprised to learn what the prosecution might use against you. For example, you might post an innocent photo of your dog, but in the background, you could have a pair of shoes that match footprints found at the scene of the crime. You won’t be thinking about these details, but investigators and attorneys are trained to spot these details.

In fact, you should avoid posting anything to social media, even if it has nothing to do with your case. The prosecutor can and will dig up anything and everything they can find on your account and use it against you in court. Even photos and posts that seem completely unrelated and innocent might end up being used to aid in your prosecution. It’s best not to engage anyone on social media at all while your case is pending.

4. Don’t contact any potential witnesses

The minute you find out someone is a potential witness in your case, do not contact them in any way, including online or through text messages. Even if it’s completely unrelated to your case, that contact has the potential to get you in a lot of trouble for witness tampering.

Witness tampering is serious. If you harass, threaten, or physically harm someone in an attempt to get them to either not testify against you or alter their testimony, you could face a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, or even get a life sentence, depending on your offense. If you contact anyone for any reason, the prosecution may argue that you were tampering with a witness, so it’s best to cut off contact completely. If you need to make an important communication, talk to your attorney about how to proceed.

5. Don’t throw anything away

You have an expectation of privacy with items in your car and your home. If police want to take something, they need to follow procedure and get a search warrant. When you throw something into the trash, you lose that expectation of privacy. Police can go through your trash and take whatever they find without a search warrant.

It’s also a crime to destroy evidence, which includes throwing it into the trash. In some states, tampering with evidence can be charged as a felony. Even if you have something incriminating in your possession, legally, you need to preserve it and comply if you receive a subpoena.

Listen to your lawyer

No matter what happens, listen to your attorney. They’re there to help and get you the best case outcome possible. Allow yourself to be guided by their expertise, because they know what to expect and will always have your best interests in mind.

When you’re over your head with debt, it’s easy to feel like there’s no way out. Making minimum payments only to watch your balances rise from added interest can be a vicious cycle. As your finances spiral out of control, you could soon find yourself on a fast track to bankruptcy. There is a way you may be able to halt your slide toward insolvency, however. It’s called a consumer proposal. It offers a way to stop accumulating interest and settle your debt for less than you owe. Here are four of the benefits of using a consumer proposal to get your debt under control.

1. It Safeguards Your Assets

One of the scariest things about debt is that it can lead to the seizure of your assets. When you default on a debt, creditors may ask a court to garnish your wages and seize your home, car, furniture, and anything else you own of value. A consumer proposal immediately halts collections and prevents the seizure of your assets. The only exception is when you have debts secured by specific assets. Protecting your assets from seizure provides peace of mind while you work to resolve your debt issues.

2. It’s a Legally Binding Process

A consumer proposal is also a legally regulated and binding process. It means your creditors must abide by it, and you will gain legal protection if they don’t. A consumer proposal requires the participation of a licensed insolvency trustee. They’re the ones who help you draft your proposal and whom you pay according to your agreed-upon schedule. Then, the trustee distributes the money to your creditors, so you don’t need to manage the process yourself.

3. It’s Less Damaging to Your Credit

A consumer proposal will also do less damage to your credit than a bankruptcy. A first bankruptcy will remain on your credit for six to seven years. A second one will stay on your report for 14 years. A consumer proposal only stays on your credit for three years after you complete payments. Plus, it may only appear on your credit report for six years from when you sign it. Plus, a consumer proposal on your credit report equates to an R7. Bankruptcy is an R9. The higher the number, the more impact the negative mark has on your credit.

4. You May Reduce Your Debt by up to 80%

Finally, a consumer proposal can significantly curtail how much of your debt you must pay. You can cut your overall debt load by up to 80%. That can turn a $50,000 debt into a much more manageable $10,000 one. Plus, when you finish paying the reduced figure, you get a certificate declaring you’ve satisfied your obligation. Your creditors can never try to collect the rest of the original debt total from you.

End the Debt Cycle

A consumer proposal may be ideal for you to regain control of your finances. It comes with significant benefits if you abide by the terms you agree to. However, you should always consult a qualified counsellor before entering into any financial agreements. If you take advantage of the consumer proposal process, you can emerge debt-free from the other side, ready to resume your life unencumbered.